What Killed Oscar Wilde? - NYTimes.com What Killed Oscar Wilde? Published: March 20, 1988 To the Editor: On page 92 of Richard Ellmann's monumental new biography ''Oscar Wilde'' (reviewed by George Levine, Feb. 21), an unusual footnote appears. In it, Ellmann says that though he is convinced that Wilde had syphilis, ''opinion on the subject is . . . divided, and some authorities do not share my view of Wilde's medical history.'' What is this all about? Richard Ellmann completed his book toward the end of 1986. Shortly before, having suffered for several months from odd speech difficulties, he was diagnosed as having amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - the ailment commonly known in America as Lou Gehrig's disease and in England, where Ellmann lived as the retired Goldsmiths' Professor of English Literature at Oxford, as motor neurone disease. He had by then been working on ''Oscar Wilde'' for some 20 years, constantly revising, digging out new ''choice bits'' of information and fitting them in, shaping the book as a whole.

At the beginning of 1987, apart from source notes, picture inserts, index and a few other loose ends, the manuscript was at last ready to go into production for publication. None too soon, either - it was evident to family and friends that Ellmann's condition was getting worse. It was at this point that the question of Wilde's syphilis cropped up. The Wilde family - or rather the Holland family, because Wilde's wife, Constance, changed her name and that of their two sons to Holland after her husband's conviction and imprisonment for sodomy - controls the use of many Wilde letters and unpublished documents. Any book on the scale of Ellmann's would be inconceivable without their cooperation. And until this point he had it. The present spokesman for the family, Wilde's grandson Merlin Holland, a knowledgeable Wildean himself, recognized from the start that the Ellmann biography would be definitive, and had offered -and given - his help. But now there was a sticking point. Mr. Holland, like his father, Vyvyan, Oscar's second son, did not believe that Wilde had been syphilitic. Ellmann did.

In his opinion, Wilde caught syphilis as a student about 1878 from an Oxford prostitute - a female - and ultimately died of complications from it at 46. Merlin Holland could not accept this. Precisely because Ellmann's book would be the last word on Wilde, he felt, it was important to get the point right. Misstatements had been in circulation too long. Misstatements or not, the talk of syphilis had certainly been around a long time. Wilde's very first serious critic and biographer, Arthur Ransome (later author of the children's classic ''Swallows and Amazons'' series), writing in 1912, had said flatly that his death was ''directly due to meningitis, the legacy of an attack of tertiary syphilis.'' Subsequent biographers, among them Frank Harris, Hesketh Pearson and H. Montgomery Hyde, also said Wilde had syphilis. What was the evidence, and just how good was it? Ransome had dedicated his book to Robert Ross, who ''has helped me in every possible way . . .

and given time out of a very busy life to the verification, from documents in his possession, of biographical facts included in my book.'' Robbie Ross was one of the two friends who stuck by Wilde until the very end, hurrying over from London to Paris to sit by the dying man's bedside (while there he may have heard one of Oscar's last, and best, bons mots: ''My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go''), arranging for medical attention, witnessing the grisly explosion of blood and bodily fluids that occurred a moment after Wilde died. Ross might have been expected to object to Ransome's statement about syphilis if he thought it untrue, and he apparently did not. Yet perhaps he did. The second (1913) edition of the Ransome biography omits mention of syphilis, speaking only of the meningitis. In the preface Ransome notes that he made changes in his text, but only ''to spare the feelings of those who might be pained by the further publication of those passages [ complained of ] .'' Ransome's thoughtfulness had practical grounds.

Lord Alfred (Bosie) Douglas, Wilde's erstwhile lover, had in the meantime sued Ransome for libel. Though the suit had been unsuccessful, Ransome recognized that he had reason to tread carefully. After all, it was the Marquess of Queensberry, Bosie's choleric father, who provoked the lawsuit that brought down Wilde himself. Oddly enough, however, the syphilis passage had not been mentioned in the charges by Douglas. Why did Ransome change it? The other friend who sat beside Wilde's deathbed during those last dismal weeks was Reginald Turner, and he is the second principal source of information about Wilde's medical history. Not that he was especially forward in offering it. The first written statement of his opinion on the subject, so far as anyone knows, came only in 1934, in a letter to a third young-man-about-Wilde, Robert Sherard, who was writing a book on Oscar.

Wilde's illness, Turner said obliquely, ''was only shortly before his death diagnosed as a tertiary symptom of an infection he had contracted when he was 20.'' Moreover, said Turner, Wilde had suffered from an itchy rash in the spring of the year he died. This ''was supposed to be another symptom,'' although Wilde had laid the problem to eating bad mussels in Italy. (In fact, as Ellmann notes, an itchy rash is not a symptom of syphilis.) The medical testimony, such as it is, turns out to be pretty vague too. 1 Oscar Wilde is sent to prison for indecency - May 25, 1895 - HISTORY.com Oscar Wilde is sent to prison for indecency Share this: Oscar Wilde is sent to prison for indecency Author Oscar Wilde is sent to prison for indecency URL Publisher A+E Networks Playwright Oscar Wilde is taken toReading Gaolin London after being convicted of sodomy. The famed writer of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest brought attention to his private life in a feud with Sir John Sholto Douglas, whose son was intimately involved with Wilde.

Homosexuality was a criminal offense and serious societal taboo at this time in Britain. Wilde had gone back and forth between hiding his sexual orientation and attempting to gain some measure of public acceptance. After Douglas, a furious homophobe, began spouting his objections to Wilde’s behavior to the public, Wilde felt compelled to suehim for libel. In his defense,Douglas argued that Wilde had solicited 12 boys to commit sodomy between 1892 and 1894. On the third day of the proceedings, Wilde’s lawyer withdrew the suit, since there was abundant evidence of his client’s guilt. After that, the Crown issued a warrant for Wilde’s arrest on indecency charges. Rather than flee to France, Wilde decided to remain and stand trial. At a preliminary bail hearing, chambermaids testified that they had seen young men in Wilde’s bed and a hotel housekeeper stated that there were fecal stains on his bed sheets. Wilde was denied bail. At Wilde’s first criminal trial, he was cross-examined extensively on the “love that dare not speak its name.” Wilde managed to secure a mistrial when a lone juror refused to vote to convict.

The second trial began on May 21. Although many of the potential witnesses refused to betray Wilde by testifying, he was convicted. The judge remarked at his sentencing, “It is the worst case I have ever tried. I shall pass the severest sentence that the law allows. In my judgment it is totally inadequate for such a case as this. The sentence of the Court is that you be imprisoned and kept to hard labor for two years.” Wilde served his two years and then spent the last three years of his life in exile. He died at the age of 45 and was buried in Paris. Related Videos Playwright Oscar Wilde, Biography and Plays Born: October 16th, 1854 Died: November 30th, 1900 Although his given name was Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills, most lovers of his plays, fiction, and essays know him as Oscar Wilde. Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, his father was an esteemed surgeon.

His father’s career and Oscar’s scholarships enabled the young man to attain an impressive college education: Trinity College, Dublin (1871 – 1874) Magdalen College, Oxford (1874 – 1878) During his college years, he became part of the “Oxford Movement,” a group that expounded upon the virtues of classical culture and artistry. Also during his studies, Wilde became a devotee of the school of aestheticism, the belief that art should be created for the sake of beauty and not as a lesson in ethics. (In other words, he believed in “art for the sake of art”). Throughout his college days, he exhibited a cunning wit and a love of attention. This increased when he moved to London in 1878. His first plays (Vera and The Duchess of Padua) were tragedies (not simply because they were depressing but also because they were dismal failures). continue reading below our video What are the Seven Wonders of the World Scholars often debate the sexual identity of Oscar Wilde, labeling him either homosexual or bisexual. Biographers indicate that he had physical relationships with other males as early as age 16.

However, in 1884 he married wealthy heiress Constance Lloyd. Thanks to her father’s fortune, Wilde was freed from economic concerns, and he focused more on his creative endeavors. By 1886 Oscar and Constance had two sons, Cyril and Vyvyan. Despite his seemingly idealistic family dynamic, Wilde still loved being a celebrity – and still loved the decadent parties and homosexual affairs which his social status afforded. His greatest successes occurred when he began writing comedies for the stage: Lady Windermere’s Fan: A stormy and amusing four act comedy about an adulterous husband and a wife that decides that two can play at this game. What begins as a tale of romantic hi-jinks and amorous revenge turns into a tale with an unusual moral for its time: LADY WINDERMERE: There is the same world for all of us, and good and evil, sin and innocence, go through it hand in hand. To shut one’s eyes to half of life that one may live securely is as though one blinded oneself that one might walk with more safety in a land of pit and precipice.

The play ends with the reconciliation of both the philandering husband and errant wife, with the agreement to keep their past affairs a secret. An Ideal Husband: A delightful comedy of manners about a lovably roguish bachelor who learns about honor, and his highly honorable friends who learn that the are not as righteous as they feign to be. In addition to the romantic aspects of this comedy, An Ideal Husband offers a critical look at a woman’s capacity for love in contrast with a man’s capacity. For more on this subject, read Wilde’s monologue spoken by the character Sir Robert Chiltern. The Importance of Being Earnest : One of Oscar Wilde’s more boastful quotes about himself happened when the famous author was visiting America. A New York customs officer asked if he had any goods to declare. Wilde replied, “No, I have nothing to declare (pause) except my genius.” If Wilde was justifed in such self-love it is perhaps because of his most acclaimed play, The Importance of Being Earnest. Of all the plays, this is the most merry, and perhaps the most balanced with witty dialogue, romantic misunderstandings, and laughter-inducing coincidences.

Oscar Wilde on Trial: Sadly, Wilde’s life did not end in the manner of his “drawing room comedies.” Oscar Wilde had an intimate relationship with Lord Alfred Bruce Douglas, a considerably younger gentleman. Douglas’ father, the Marquis of Queensbury, publicly accused Wilde of sodomy. In response, Oscar Wilde took the Marquis to court, charging him with criminal libel . The attempt at justice backfired, however. During the course of the trial, Wilde’s various sexual relationships were exposed. These details, and the defense’s threat of bringing male prostitutes to the stand, prompted Wilde to drop the case. Soon afterwards, Oscar Wilde was arrested on the charge of “gross indecency." Oscar Wilde’s Death: The playwright received the harshest penalty afforded by law for such a crime. The judge sentenced Wilde to two years of hard labor in Reading Prison. Afterwards, his creative energy waned. Although he did write the famous poem, “The Ballad of Reading Gaol,” his career as London’s celebrated playwright had come to an abrupt end. He lived in a hotel in Paris, adopting the assumed name, Sebastian Melmoth. Most of his friends no longer associated with Wilde.

Afflicted with cerebral meningitis, he died three years after his prison term, impoverished. One friend, Reginald Turner, remained loyal. He was there by Wilde’s side when the playwright passed away. Rumor has it that Wilde’s last words were: “Either that wallpaper goes, or I do.” The Death of Oscar Wilde October 16, 1854 - November 30, 1900 "The world was my oyster, but I used the wrong fork." More September 2002 in RED Before you get worried, I am and will remain as common as dirt. I know little about this man, except what I have been told. I havent even seen the movie. Very kind Findadeath.com friend Dominic Druce took the time to put together this account of the death of Oscar Wilde for us. Thank you Dominic. Wilde was released from prison 19 May 1897, and wandered between a small band of friends in England, France and Italy for the next few years. Since the death of his wife in 1898 he had been denied access to his two sons and given 150 a year from her estate to live on.

Given his extravagant tastes, this did not go far. August 1899 he moved from the Hotel Marsollier to the Hotel dAlsace on the Rue des Beaux-Arts (today this is just called LHotel), the owner Jean Dupoirier, having paid off Wildes debts at the former hotel. He spent the days wandering the streets of Paris, drinking with old friends and supporters who would bump into to him and, shocked by his appearance, feed him, or being blanked by former friends. April 2, 1900, he went to Palermo and Rome with a friend who paid for him before returning to Paris. A typical day began with breakfast brought up to him at 11, 2pm - a cutlet and two hard boiled eggs, 5pm - he went to the Caf� de la Regence, then dined at the Caf� de Paris until 2 or 3 in the morning. The hotel also provided him with a ration of five bottles a week of Couvoisier. Oscar kept fat n sassy.

His former lover, Lord Alfred Douglas (Bosie), inherited 20,000 on the death of his father, the Marquess of Queensbury, the cause of Wildes downfall. (Very long but interesting story. That much I know.) During a meal at the Caf� de la Paix, Wilde asked Bosie if he could have an income from his money. Bosie had one of his idiosyncratic tantrums and announced, "I cant afford to spend anything except on myself," and accused Wilde of "wheedling like an old whore." Wilde replied, "If you do not recognise my claim, there is nothing more to be said. Oscar suffered an illness from late 1899 which he called, "Mussel poisoning," which gave him red splotches on his arms, chest and back, when scratched. By September of 1900, he was bedridden. Doctor Maurice aCourt Tucker, from the Embassy, visited him often, but could only state that it was not syphilis, because syphilis did not itch. He also advised an operation on Wildes ear that had been painful since prison.

It had been carried out in his room on October 10. Over the next weeks, he recuperated, enjoying visits from friends during which he made many of the famous last witticisms that are often reported as his last words, notably, "My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or other of us has got to go," "I am dying beyond my means," and, "I cant even afford to die." October 29th, he got out of bed and had dinner in his room before going to a caf� with Robert Ross, one-time lover and devoted supporter. They drank absinthe. Warned that it was poison to him, he replied, "And what have I to live for?" This in from Findadeath.com friend Scott Williams (as always, Thank You.) - "Just yesterday in the news, a U.S. university unlocked the chemical secret of "Absinthe" which Oscar was imbibing prior to his decline and demise. Made from the root extract of "wormwood", it has a property that aggravates and disrupts the chemical coordination of brain cell communication in a big way, like, total chaos.

It was said to be all the rage among artists and such in Paris at the time even though the French Govt. had outlawed it in 1815. The euphoria was intense, but too often resulted in seizures and, delirium, as noted in Oscars' final days. Sounds like he should have stuck to the Couvoisier." SEPTEMBER 2002 More on Absinthe Findadeath.com friend Steve McSomething sends us this: It is a translucent turquoise liquor, which at its strongest can be 160 proof. It is banned in all but three countries (the Czech Republic being one of those where it is available). During World War II, every Czech adult was rationed a half-liter of it per month. I had a few shots in Prague a couple of years ago. No seizures or delirium; it tasted like cough medicine. The next morning he had a cold and earache. Dr. Tucker diagnosed an abscess in his ear. Through November he felt worse. Morphine was no longer working as a painkiller, so he switched to opium, chloral and champagne.

From November 27th, he began having periods of delirium, but otherwise still discussed news and literature. November 29th he was described as, "thin, his flesh livid, his breathing heavy," and with a fortnights beard. In the evening, Ross brought Father Cuthbert Dunne and Wilde was asked if he wanted to see him. Wilde made a sign with his hands and Dunne gave him absolution. At 5:30 am on November 30th, a loud death rattle began "like the turning of a crank." Foam and blood came from his mouth. He died at 1:50 pm. He had barely breathed his last breath, when his body exploded with fluids from the ear, nose, mouth and other orifices. Kablooie. He was cleaned up and dressed in a white night shirt, and covered in a white sheet and palm branches. Maurice Gilbert took this photograph. Bosie arrived on December 2nd for the funeral on the 3rd, which was described as "cheap," at which he was chief-mourner. Father Cuthbert Dunne said requiem mass at St.

Germain-des-Pres before the hearse (bearing the number 13) made its way to Bagneux Cemetery, followed by four carriages, Ross and Bosie in the first. As the fourteen mourners pushed for a better view, Bosie almost fell into the grave. Serves the bitch right. The grave was marked, "Oscar Wilde RIP Oct 16th 1854  Nov 30th 1900." There was a Latin quotation from Job which translates as, "To my words they durst add nothing, and my speech dropped upon them." In 1909 his remains were moved to Pere Lachaise under Jacob Epsteins monument (with the broken off pee pee), paid for by a Mrs. Carew. Robert Rosss ashes were placed in the tomb in 1918. Trivia: the wallpaper is supposed to have been recreated at LHotel, and there is now a plaque to Oscar, just above the front door.

Oscar Wilde - Biography - IMDb Oscar Wilde Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trivia (9) | Personal Quotes (51) Overview (4) 30 November 1900 , Paris, France (acute meningitis, following an ear infection) Birth Name Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde Height 6' 3" (1.91 m) Mini Bio (1) A gifted poet, playwright and wit, Oscar Wilde was a phenomenon in 19th-century England. He was illustrious for preaching the importance of style in life and art, and of attacking Victorian narrow-mindedness. Wilde was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1854. He studied at Trinity College in Dublin before leaving the country to study at Oxford University in England when he was in his early 20s. His prodigious literary talent was recognized when he received the Newdegate Prize for his outstanding poem "Ravenna". After leaving college his first volume of poetry, "Patience", was published in 1881, followed by a play, "The Duchess of Padua", two years later.

It was around this time that Wilde sparked a sensation. On his arrival to America he stirred the nation with his flamboyant personality: wearing long silk stockings--an unusual mode of dress--long, flowing hair that gave the impression to many of an effeminate and a general air of wittiness, sophistication and eccentricity. He was an instant celebrity, but his works did not find recognition until the publication of "The Happy Prince and Other Tales" in 1888. His other noted work was his only novel, was "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1890), which caused controversy as the book evidently attacked the hypocrisy of England. It was later used as incriminating evidence at Wilde's trial, on the basis of its obvious homosexual content. Wilde was a married man with children, but his private life was as a homosexual. He had an affair with a young snobbish aristocrat named Lord Alfred Douglas. Douglas' father, the Marquess of Queensberry, did not approve of his son's relationship with the distinguished writer, and when he accused Wilde of sodomy, Wilde sued the Marquess in court.

However, his case was dismissed when his homosexuality--which at the time was outlawed in England--was exposed. He was sentenced to two years hard labor in prison. On his release he was a penniless, dejected man and soon died in Paris. He was 46. Wilde is immortalized through his works, and the stories he wrote for children, such as "The Happy Prince" and "The Selfish Giant", are still vibrant in the imagination of the public, especially "The Picture of Dorian Gray", the story of a young handsome man who sells his soul to a picture to have eternal youth and beauty, only to face the hideousness of his own portrait as it ages, which entails his evil nature and degradation. The book has been interpreted on stage, films and television. In 1997 Stephen Fry played the lead in Wilde (1997) and Jude Law as Lord Alfred Douglas.

( 29 May 1884 - 7 April 1898) (her death) (2 children) Trivia (9) Oscar was the great-nephew of author Charles Maturin, an Irish clergyman and author whose gothic novel "Melmoth the Wanderer" inspired Oscar's pseudonym 'Sebastian Melmoth', which he lived under for three years from his release from prison to his death. Sons: Cyril, born in June 1885, who died in World War I, and Vyvyan, born in November 1886. Vyvyan became a writer using the surname Holland, and his own grandson, Merlin Holland , has written two books about his grandfather, "Wilde Album" and "After Oscar: The Color of his Legacy." Merlin's son Lucien is a classics major at Oxford, just like Oscar Wilde. Appears on the sleeve of The Beatles ' "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album. Separated from his wife not long after their second child was born. Was a homosexual.

Tried and convicted, alongside Alfred Taylor, a procurer of young men, in 1895 for indecent acts, as homosexuality was then outlawed in the UK. All of his possessions and property were confiscated following the ruling, which resulted in prison for the playwright. Moved to Paris after he finished his sentence and lived as a pauper, writing his autobiography and works that never found an audience. Died in a cheap Paris hotel. He published several books of stories for children, originally written for his own sons. Relying on the generosity of friends, he went to live in France, adopting the name of Sebastian Melmoth. Wilde attempted to woo the son of the Marquess of Queensberry, and Lord Queensberry retaliated by circulating a note which accused Wilde of Sodomy. Wilde sued for libel, but after three days in court, he realized he was losing, and he dropped the suit. Both Wilde and his procurer (of young boys) were tried twice for "public indecency". The first trial ended in a hung jury. The second convicted him. Wilde served two years at hard labor for public indecency.

Personal Quotes (51) There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. I adore persons better than principles and persons with no principles more than anything else in the world. We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. Men can be analyzed, women ... merely adored. I couldn't help it. I can resist everything except temptation. I must decline your invitation owing to a subsequent engagement. It is only by not paying one's bills that one can hope to live in the memory of the commercial classes. Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong. In the old days men had the rack. Now they have the Press. Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught. One would have to have a heart of stone to read the death of Little Nell without laughing. [on his deathbed in a Paris hotel room] Either this wallpaper goes, or I do! The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame. Only the shallow know themselves.

[upon taking a glass of champagne on his deathbed] I am dying beyond my means. The man who sees both sides of a question is a man who sees absolutely nothing. Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation. [his defense at his trial] "The Love that dare not speak its name" in this country is such a great affection of an elder for a younger man as there was between David and Jonathan, such as Plato made the very basis of his philosophy, and such as you find in the sonnets of Michelangelo and [ William Shakespeare ]. It is that deep, spiritual affection that is as pure as it is perfect . . . It is in this century misunderstood, so much misunderstood that it may be described as "the Love that dare not speak its name", and on account of it I am placed where I am now. It is beautiful, it is fine, it is the noblest form of affection. There is nothing unnatural about it, and it repeatedly exists between an elder and a younger man, when the elder has intellect, and the younger man has all the joy, hope and glamor of life before him.

That it should be so, the world does not understand. The world mocks at it and sometimes puts one in the pillory for it. She wore too much rouge last night and not quite enough clothes. That is always a sign of despair in a woman. Dying is easy. Comedy is hard. I am not young enough to know everything. Imagination is a quality given a man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is. I love acting. It is so much more real than life. Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people. The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past and every sinner has a future. The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Women have a much better time than men in this world. There are far more things forbidden to them [Upon arriving at US Customs in 1882] I have nothing to declare except my genius. Anybody can be good in the country.

[on Frédéric Chopin ] After playing Chopin, I feel as if I had been weeping over sins that I had never committed, and mourning over tragedies that were not my own. Music always seems to me to produce that effect. It creates for one a past of which one has been ignorant, and fills one with a sense of sorrows that have been hidden from one's tears. A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies. In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing. Crying is the refuge of plain women, but the ruin of pretty ones. What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Women have a wonderful instinct about things. They can discover everything except the obvious. Young men want to be faithful, and are not; old men want to be faithless, and cannot. Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go. We Irish are too poetical to be poets; we are a nation of brilliant failures, but we are the greatest talkers since the Greeks. The public has an insatiable curiosity to know everything, except what is worth knowing. Moderation is a fatal thing... nothing succeeds like excess.

It is only the shallow people who do not judge by appearance. [on his room in the Ritz Hotel in Paris] A harsh and ugly light, enough to ruin your eyes, and not a candle or lamp for bedside reading. And who wants an immovable washing basin in one's room? I do not. Hide the thing. Bernard Shaw has no enemies but is intensely disliked by his friends. [on fellow writer Emile Zola] Mr. Zola is determined to show that, if he has not got genius, he can at least be dull. [as he was being led in handcuffs to Reading Gaol] If this is how Her Majesty treats her prisoners, she doesn't deserve to have any. The young are always ready to give to those who are older than themselves the full benefits of their inexperience. Make people laugh when you tell them the truth, or they will kill you. Seriousness is the last refuge of the shallow. If I can't be famous I'll be notorious. Man is many things, but he is not rational. The conscience of an editor is purely decorative.

See also Oscar Wilde | Facts Summary Information Died: 30th November, 1900 (46) Period: Victorian Genre: Drama, short story, criticism, dialogue and journalism Oscar Wilde Summary Oscar Wilde was an Irish author, poet and writer. In the wake of writing in distinctive writing styles all through the 1880’s, he turned into one of London’s most prominent writers by the mid 1890’s. Today, he is associated with his quips, his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, his plays, and the strange circumstances surrounding his detainment and early passing. Wilde’s family were honored Anglo-Irish Dublin scholars. Their child was very familiar with the French and German language quite early in his life. At college, Wilde would read Greats, a course which focuses on Roman and Greek history and philosophy; he turned out to be an extraordinary classicist, first at Dublin, followed by Oxford. He was quite known for his association in the growing popularity of the philosophy of aestheticism, driven by two of his mentors, Walter Pater and John Ruskin. After graduating from college, Wilde moved to London where found himself in trendy social and cultural circles.

As a representative for aestheticism, he attempted his hand at different artistic exercises: he distributed a book of lyrics and poetry, became a lecturer in the United States and Canada on the new “English Renaissance in Art”, and afterward returned back to London where he worked productively as a columnist. Known for his sharp mind and sharper wit, ostentatious clothes and sparkling discussion, Wilde turned into one of the best-known people of his day. During the 1890’s, he refined his thoughts regarding the matchless quality of craftsmanship in a series of dialogues and articles, and fused topics of wantonness, guile, and excellence into his first and only published novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which was released in 1890. The chance to develop tasteful points of interest correctly, and join them with bigger social topics, attracted Wilde to write more drama novels. He finished writing Salome the following year, in 1891, in French in Paris however it was rejected a permit for England because of indisputable restriction of Biblical subjects on the English stage.

Unfazed by this, Wilde created four more general public comedies in the mid 1890’s, which made him a standout amongst the best writers in Victorian London. At the peak of his popularity and achievement, while his showstopper, The Importance of Being Earnest (written in 1895), which was still performed on-stage in London, Wilde had the Marquess of Queensberry indicted for criticism against his works. The father of Wilde’s lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, was the Marquess. The charge conveyed a punishment until two years jail term. The trial uncovered proof that brought on Wilde to let go his charges and prompted his own capture and tried for “gross indecency with other men”. After two more trials he was indicted and detained for a two-year labor. In 1897, while in jail, he composed De Profundis, which was distributed in 1905, a long letter which talks about his otherworldly adventure through his trials, structuring a dull counterpoint to his prior rationality of delight. After being released he quickly fled for France, never to come back to Ireland or Britain.

There he composed his final work, The Ballad of Reading Jail (written in 01898), a long sonnet recognizing the cruel rhythms of his time spent in jail. He passed away penniless in Paris at 46 years old. Articles Featuring Oscar Wilde From British Heritage Magazine [tabby title=’Featured Oscar Wilde Article’] Oscar Wilde By KAREN KENYON ON JUNE 12, 2006 Oscar Wilde rose to become the toast of London–appreciated not only for his plays, Lady Windemere’s Fan, The Ideal Husband, and The Importance of Being Earnest, and his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, but for his grace, wit, and charm. And then at the height of his success his star fell. On trial at the Old Bailey, he was convicted of indecent behaviour and sentenced to two years of hard labour, which ultimately broke his spirit and heart. Though he wrote two last pieces, now classics–De Profundis and The Ballad of Reading Gaol, Wilde also said ‘I wrote when I did not know life; now that I do know the meaning of life, I have no more to write.

Life cannot be written, life can only be lived–I have lived.’ One Wilde biographer, Richard Ellman, wrote, ‘he was conducting, in the most civilized way, an anatomy of his society, and a radical reconsideration of its ethics.’ But art and life were for Wilde intertwined, and he did not fit the proper Victorian mold. Wilde’s career as writer was tied up with his flamboyant personality and lifestyle. Oscar Finegal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde was born on 16th October 1854 at 21 Westland Row in Dublin. His parents were Sir William Wilde, a successful aural surgeon and writer; and Jane Francesco Elgee, who translated and wrote poetry and called herself ‘the voice in poetry of all the people in Ireland.’ Oscar had two siblings–an older brother named Willie, and a sister, Isola, born when Oscar was two. Isola especially seems to have been a major influence in his life. His little blond sister died at age 10, and he never really got over that loss.

After his death, an envelope was found with the lines, ‘My Isola’s Hair’ and ‘She is not dead but sleepeth.’ Oscar Wilde poses for a photo by Napoleon Sarony in 1882. (Library of Congress) Oscar Wilde grew up in a household constantly full of Dublin’s artists and intellectuals. His mother regularly held a salon, and there artists, writers, intellectuals and members of the medical profession gathered. When Oscar was ready for college he went on scholarship to Trinity College, the Protestant College in Dublin, where he excelled in Greek. With another scholarship he went to Oxford in 1874 and studied with John Ruskin, yet disagreed with Ruskin’s belief that art should be infused with a moral purpose. Oscar grew to love beauty, and art for art’s sake. He was influenced by Keats and the idea that beauty is truth and truth beauty. He wrote, ‘Love art for its own sake, and then all things that you need will be added to you.’ While at Oxford, Oscar wrote to a friend, saying ‘God knows, I won’t be an Oxford don anyhow, I’ll be a poet, a writer, a dramatist.

Somehow or other I’ll be famous, and if not famous, I’ll be notorious.’ And indeed, Wilde’s reputation as an eccentric, a wit, and an apostle of Aestheticism quickly grew. At Oxford, he began to write reviews of London art exhibits. In 1880 he wrote his first play, Vera, though it was not performed. The following year, he published his collected poems at his own expense. They elicited a somewhat hostile reaction from critics, but they had popular appeal and went into five editions. Interest in Wilde spread across the ocean to America. Miss Mary Anderson, a New York actress, asked him to write a play for her. He began a five-act tragedy that developed into The Duchess of Padua. Soon after, he was invited to come to America himself to lecture on Aesthetics. On his arrival he told the customs agent, ‘I have nothing to declare but my genius.’ When Wilde returned from America he went to Paris. In France he met Victor Hugo, Paul Verlaine, Mallarme, Toulouse Lautrec, Degas, and Pissaro. Wilde attracted attention from the ladies wherever he went, and often returned the favour.

He fell for a girl for the first time when he met Florence Balcombe and gave her a cross inscribed with his name. He also did a delicate pencil sketch of her, showing a sweet, wistful look. Florence later married Bram Stoker, author of Dracula. Wilde was later smitten with the actress Lillie Langtry. On 29th May 1884 he married Constance Mary Lloyd, daughter of an Irish barrister living in London. The two made their home in Chelsea at No. 16 Tite Street. Wilde took a job as a book reviewer for the Pall Mall Gazette. He had little money but quite a reputation as a conversationalist. Their first son, Cyril, was born in 1885, followed the next year by another, Vyvyan. Wilde adored his children and spent hours playing with them. He seemed poised to consummate a perfectly respectable, if somewhat flamboyant, career. But two pivotal events set his life on a different course. First, he wrote the now-classic book, The Picture of Dorian Gray, a story about a beautiful man who stays young while his portrait grows old and ugly.

The press was almost unanimous in their condemnation of the book, considering it prurient, immoral, vicious, coarse, and crude. Unconcerned, Wilde commented, ‘There is no such thing as a moral or immoral book. Books are well-written or badly written. That is all.’ Also during this time he met someone who forever changed his life, and who had the beauty of Dorian Gray–Lord Alfred Bruce Douglas, or Bosie, the third son of the 8th Marquess of Queensberry. Wilde was drawn to Bosie for several reasons. He was from an aristocratic family, good looking, young, and showed promise as a poet of sonnets. Some biographers think Bosie may have reminded Wilde of Isola. Wilde’s relationship with Bosie put him in dangerous territory, since all homosexual acts were illegal in England at that time. Wilde’s next several works were well received, and the controversy of Dorian Gray receded. His play Lady Windemere’s Fan opened at the St. James Theatre to a rousing reception. When the audience shouted ‘Author!’ Wilde gave this now-famous speech: ‘Your appreciation has been most intelligent.

I congratulate you on the great success of your performance, which persuades me that you think almost as highly of the play as I do.’ His wit poked fun at the hierarchies of society and aimed to remove the masks of the upper crust. Further successes included Salome–a biblical play in one act–A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband, and The Importance of Being Earnest. George Bernard Shaw wrote in the Saturday Review, ‘In a certain sense Mr. Wilde is to me our only thorough playwright. He plays with everything: with wit, with philosophy, with drama, with actors and with audience, with the whole theatre.’ And The New York Times said of The Importance of Being Earnest, ‘Wilde may be said to have at last, and by a single stroke, put his energies under his feet.’ But Bosie’s father had a different opinion of Wilde and was furious at the praise heaped on him. Four days after The Importance of Being Earnest opened, Queensberry drove to the Albemarle Club on Dover Street, where Oscar was a member.

He left his card, and wrote, ‘To Oscar Wilde, posing as a somdomite.’ The porter, perhaps because of the misspelling or because he was unfamiliar with the word, put it in an envelope and addressed it to Wilde, leaving it in the hall letter rack. Wilde took it very seriously and told a friend, ‘Bosie’s father has left a card at my club with hideous words on it. I don’t see anything now but a criminal prosecution. My whole life seems ruined by this man…’ At Bosie’s insistence, Wilde applied for a warrant for the arrest of the Marquess for libel. But at the trial, Queensberry was acquitted. Wilde had been entertaining, even eloquent, at the trial, but his double life was exposed. Wilde was prosecutor, but it was obvious he was himself on trial. His friends and Constance urged him to go abroad, but he refused. His pride would not allow it–and he did not want to be a coward or deserter. Instead he went to the Cadogan Hotel where he had a room. That evening the police arrested him, charging indecent behaviour. Three weeks later he stood in the same dock where Queensberry had stood.

The trial ended with a hung jury. At a second trial Wilde was found guilty of gross indecency and sentenced to two years of hard labour. At that point he lost much of what was important to him in life. His long-suffering wife moved to the continent with the boys. The contents of his house were sold at auction. For most of his time in prison he was even denied writing materials. Toward the end of his sentence he was finally allowed pen and ink and paper, one blue sheet at a time, each removed as he finished. On these sheets he wrote a long letter to Bosie that became known as De Profundis, his last prose work. It is an apology and confession in which he blamed his downfall on Bosie and expressed his bitterness, self hatred, and guilt. ‘The gods had given me almost everything,’ he wrote, ‘I had genius, a distinguished name, high social position, brilliancy, intellectual daring; I made art a philosophy and philosophy an art… ‘Desire at the end was a malady, or a madness, or both. I grew careless of the lives of others.

I took pleasure where it pleased me …’ Wilde endured many hardships in prison, walking a treadmill for six hours each day to grind flour and sleeping on a bare board, yet the humility and consideration the prisoners showed one another deeply moved him, and Wilde grew popular with the other prisoners. He later arranged to have some money sent to them when they were released. He was finally freed on 19th May 1897. Though nothing written by a prisoner was allowed to leave the premises, the Governor of Reading Gaol gave him back his manuscript. Oscar went to France and never set foot in England again. He spent two years in Dieppe and wrote a letter to the press telling of the cruelties of prison life and the evil of incarcerating children under 14. He also spoke of the horror of watching a mentally disabled convict being flogged. The letter resulted directly in the Prisons Act of 1898. Wilde soon moved to the little village of Bernaval-sur-Mer where he began his last serious work, The Ballad of Reading Gaol, about the execution of a murderer and celebrating the desire for freedom. In Bernaval-sur-Mer he was popular with the villagers, including the parish priest.

But soon he grew lonely, and eventually when Bosie visited him they went off to Italy where Oscar finished The Ballad of Reading Gaol. Wilde’s life was winding down. In May 1899 he returned to Paris, to the Hotel d’Alsace. He fell into the life of the cafs, begged money from friends, drank absinthe, and grew fat on cheap food. On 30th November 1900, Wilde died of cerebral meningitis at age 46 after being accepted into the Catholic Church the day before. A wit to the end, during his final fever he is reported to have said, ‘My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go.’ In 1954 Sir Travers Humphreys, who had as a junior barrister taken part in Wilde’s trials, wrote, ‘Reflecting upon the events of nearly 60 years ago one fact is plain beyond argument. The persecution of Oscar Wilde should never have been brought.’ Except for Shakespeare, perhaps Wilde is our most quotable writer. Yet more than that, it has been said that his life and work changed the direction of art.

He put the artist’ vision first, ignoring the claims of conventionality, and drew attention to the hypocrisy and intolerance of his day. By doing so he extended the boundaries of literature and redefined the role of the artist. And through his life and his art he extolled the values of wit, charm, and grace. And Alien tears will fill for him Pity’s long-broken urn

Question: In which city did Oscar Wilde die?
Answer: PARIS